Thirds
by Elin B
Summary: Sometimes you know there's someone else just as important to your lover as you are. Introspective fic about one pairing and two triangles. Sanji/Usopp that is also about Sanji and Nami on the one hand, and Luffy and Usopp on the other.


FOREWORD: My default view of the Strawhat crew is to see them as so committed to their team as to be practically married to one another - in terms of emotional closeness, at least, if not necessarily romantically/sexually. (That doesn't stop me from being fine with any of them eventually get married 'for real' to someone, though.)

This view doesn't really change when I write pairing fics, though it may not always come through in the story. In this one, it wound up as the main focus and reason for the fic. So here's a Sanji/Usopp fic where Usopp muses on Sanji-and-Nami (part one), and Sanji ponders Usopp-and-Luffy (part two). You can see it as two overlapping triangles.

(For the record, I would feel the same way about pretty much any Strawhat pairing - in my eyes, there's almost always someone else who seems equally close to any given crewmate, even as it may not be the same kind of closeness. In fact, that's probably part of why I like this crew so darn much.)

My original concept of the fic stopped after part two, but then I wasn't satisfied with the fic and returned to it months later. This new, rewritten version has a third part which only features Sanji and Usopp, though it's not explicitly connected to the first two parts.

Betaed by Tonko, most helpful and encouraging of betas, but any remaining errors are my responsibility alone.

Nitpicks and other types of concrit are much appreciated, as is feedback in general.

DISCLAIMER: One Piece was created by Eiichiro Oda and is owned by him. This fanfic was written without permission for entertainment purposes only.

**Thirds**

A One Piece fanfic by Elin B

**One**

Thirds, part one

There are times when Sanji looks at Nami and there's something in his eyes Usopp finds hard to describe. Not worshipful, dreamy or lusty as usual, not even quietly adoring; but a more distant, far-off look like he's seeing something only he can see. Something singular and wondrous and strange; something that bears pondering, as it matters a very great deal. Something that he just knows will always stay just a little bit out of his reach.

As Usopp is not. Usopp isn't sure what to call whatever it is that's between him and Sanji these days, but it certainly involves lots and lots of touching. It started out like that, too, if he remembers it right, when Sanji started to let some of his personal space lines be more crossed than usual, and he gathered courage to go on from there. Shoulder rubs led to quiet hugs of support in moody moments – and then later to less innocent embraces, to exploring touches and kisses, and, well, quickly enough to more intimate stuff than that.

He's still surprised sometimes by how easily and naturally the whole thing grew. Not completely without troubles, but still, Usopp figures, pretty good for two guys who both tend to think too much. Especially since they both used to think they only liked girls.

Only a couple of months ago, he might have wanted, but never predicted a Sanji who'd sneak up to him on guard duty not just to bring freshly-baked cookies but his own tobacco-ish lips and roving hands all over the place (very bad if you're supposed to be watching for ships without being distracted). Or a Sanji who, when he himself was feeling down or anxious, would volunteer for a shoulder rub and, when no-one saw, a kiss on the ear and a hasty mumbling of stuff that was full of swearwords yet sounded oddly sappy.

But then, there are still those moments when Sanji looks at Nami in that special, hard-to-define manner. That makes Usopp think of something he's long suspected: that the way Sanji feels about Nami is different from how he regards even Robin and Vivi, and even more different to how it is with other pretty women. It's also different from his strong bonds of comradeship to everyone in the crew, and from his bond of allegiance to Luffy, neither of which are lacking in deep feelings either. And of course, it's quite different from how he is with Usopp.

It's as if Sanji has given Nami, and Nami alone, the key to a part of his soul that nobody else can touch. As if she's become the caretaker of that one part.

He doesn't think he's jealous or resentful, not really. He doesn't feel pushed off to the side, and it's not like he didn't know this to begin with. Though, maybe he would have been jealous, if it was someone else, but this is _Nami_– crewmate, navigator, lifesaver, partner in common sense and the art of freaking out and running away. And he knows he can trust her to love Sanji enough never to step over the line and take too much advantage of him – to never give in to him when she doesn't feel the same way.

Well. Most of the time he thinks so, at least.

It's not jealousy he feels, but caution: Usopp just want things to be easy, to stay easy. But for that, he needs to pay attention to how things are, so he won't bungle and cross too many lines and say something dumb or even hurtful. Something that will upset and spoil everything.

So he watches Sanji watching Nami in those rare, open moments, trying not to call attention to himself; just looking and being aware. As far as he can tell, it's all part of what makes Sanji into Sanji, and if that wasn't there, maybe he wouldn't really be Usopp's Sanji anymore, either.

**Two**

Sanji has never really been bothered by Luffy and Usopp hanging out so much, usually making silly jokes, being way too noisy and basically having fun and being idiots, often with Chopper and, eventually, Brook joining in. Sure, not infrequently he'll blow up at them and kick them around for a bit, but it's usually all forgotten a minute later. That's just part of who they are.

That doesn't change as the crew sails further and Sanji and Usopp grow closer until they suddenly have what might be termed a Relationship. That was something Sanji never thought he'd have with a guy; he'd probably have backed away from it at full speed if he could have seen it coming from afar, rather than it having snuck up so quietly. And yet, part of what shook him up so much about it was how surprisingly easy and right it felt. But while they've both changed and grown over time, Usopp hasn't changed so much that he's stopped having shenanigans with Luffy. And that's all right with Sanji.

More than all right, in fact, most of the time. After Water 7 particularly, there's a part of him that will probably always feel a little extra happy at seeing those two having fun together. He suspects that holds for much of the rest of the crew, too.

And yet, sometimes...

There are other, rarer moments, when Luffy and Usopp aren't running around or chatting loudly, just simply sitting close together without saying much of anything. Sometimes - only sometimes – those moments can make Sanji feel just a little odd, watching them. As if he's an intruder.

And that _does_bother him, having that reaction. Even more so when he finds himself not just grateful that Luffy seems to have the sex drive of a broken potato peeler, but chewing his lip at the thought of what might happen if that ever changes. Even Luffy might develop hormones one day, and he might well go for guys. Sanji could be utterly off, but it's hard for him not to have a nagging feeling that Usopp wouldn't turn Luffy down, in that event. He's never picked up on that kind of vibe from Usopp, but... it still seems so plausible. They're Luffy and Usopp. Maybe sex would just be one more of their games.

So why the hell should that bother him, even if it happened? he wonders testily. That's a shitty way of thinking. It's not like Usopp and him have made any promises to each other. As far as he knows, Usopp still wants to return to that one girl he knew back home some day. And it's not like Sanji has stopped flirting with girls in general or stopped worshipping the ground Nami walks on in particular. Besides, he's pretty sure by now that you can be with more than one person without your feelings being any weaker for it, as long as you're not lying and sneaking around. They are all mates, anyway – and Luffy's _Luffy_.

But the more he tells himself stuff like that, the more he feels disgruntled and left out and stupid, apt to go off muttering in a corner somewhere, while smoking in sulky silence. If he's lucky, Zoro will do something irritating that Sanji can let himself blow up at without feeling like a shitty jealous moron; otherwise he keeps fretting for a while unless a storm or a seaking turns up obligingly.

He'll remember battles and other moments of extreme danger in the past. Sure, Usopp always gets upset whenever one of them is in danger; but it does seem to Sanji there tends to be even more panic and urgency when that person happens to be Luffy. He'll recall how Usopp will yell to Luffy to get him to shape up; how Luffy seems to have more power to hurt him than anyone else.

Still no bloody reason to get grumpy and sulky, though.

One day, he's waiting by the oven for a plate of cookies to be done, in one of those grouchy moods that leaves him so annoyed at himself.

_Bah,_ he thinks, frowning as he lights another cigarette and glares at the oven, a part of his brain thinking about breakfast fish. _They're too similar, that's all. Doesn't mean anything._ Especially since they aren't doing anything _now_, he's pretty darn sure. They're just friends, those two. One might say, best friends.

It makes him think of Skypiea and that ride in the small boat up the Milk River on Upper Yard, before that shitty fat Priest turned up; Usopp had alternated between being terrified and happily goofing around with Luffy, while Luffy was just basically goofing around constantly, both letting someone else – i.e., Sanji – handle all the boring bits that included actual thinking and foresight. _Idiots. I was never like that._

And then he stills, right as he reaches out to open the oven door. Wait... He blinks.

_Is that it?_ he wonders, his cheeks hot and embarrassed. Then he starts to grin widely, uncontrollably. _Is_ that_ all there is to it?_ There's a pinch in his chest that murmurs _possibly not all_– but he still has to smile, even laugh at his own silliness, while he's getting the cookies out from the oven, mitts on.

So deep down, he'd like to be that much irresponsible and silly himself, huh? Heh. Not that he'll admit it to anyone, but he still feels relieved at the thought. He loads the cookies onto a tray and the kitchen with them, humming softly.

Maybe, after he's delivered this to the ladies and to the other shitheads, he'll even give Usopp a peck on the cheek while tossing him his share. It would be fun to see Longnose all surprised and flustered, and he finds he doesn't really mind if Luffy's there to see it. And somehow, the thought of eventual retribution isn't unpleasant at all.

**Three**

It's early in the morning when Usopp wakes up, gray light spilling in through the porthole window. He blinks in confusion rather than sleepiness; the walls don't look right and there's a lot less snoring than usual. Then he notes he's in the infirmary - but why? He's not sick or injured, right? He can't feel any pain or fever warmth; only something heavy and warm on his left side, which is making small rumbling noises. Wait, that's Sanji.

Oh, that's right. Usopp remembers now; he must have fallen asleep at the kitchen table last night. Looks like Sanji carried him here, choosing the narrow bed next door rather than the boys' cabin half the ship away.

Usopp watches him sleep for a minute or two, breathing in the quiet air and the smells of morning and medicine and chain-smoking seafood cook. Then he stops being considerate and prods Sanji's shin with his feet. "Oi. Sanji."

No response. Usopp prods a little harder, then gets up on one elbow - at the very edge of the narrow bed - and taps Sanji's shoulder with his other hand. _"Sanji."_

"Uh. Mmhnff?" Sanji opens his visible eye, closes it slowly, then opens it again and gives Usopp a long look. "What is it?"

Usopp grins at him - he just can't help it - and waits a couple of seconds before answering. "Nothing much. Just. Wanted to see if you were awake."

Sanji's look is almost but not quite a glare - still a bit too fuzzy to manage the sharpness. "Feh. Well, I _wasn't_." He rolls over on the other side. Usopp sits all the way up, pushing against Sanji's legs again as he does so to avoid falling out of the bed.

"G'morning," he says, stretches and yawns. He starts looking for his socks.

Sanji mutters something that sounds like "rgrgrnbl shitty longnose". Usopp hops down to the floor, then adjusts the blanket so it covers Sanji.

Sanji is quiet, maybe trying to go back to sleep; but judging from his breathing it doesn't seem to be working. Usopp starts putting his clothes on. "Gonna go out to brush my teeth," he says over his shoulder. "'N' watch the sunrise," he adds. The light from outside already seems a little lighter to him.

"Fine," mutters the blanket; then Sanji sits up, rubbing his eyes. His hair is messed up and all over the place – probably not as much as Usopp's, but who the hell cares, this early – and there's a stain of chocolate from last night's dessert on his undershirt, right next to his collarbone. Sanji must not have noticed that yet.

He gives Usopp a disgruntled look. "I'm coming, too. The hell are you grinning at?"

"Nothing much." Usopp shrugs, but keeps smiling. He tosses Sanji his socks, then finishes putting on his overalls and his shoes. "Don't bother about a jacket or tie, there's nobody up yet." He takes Sanji's hand, his cheeks only a little bit warm because there's a part of him that says this is a sappy thing to do; but he figures it's up to him to start when it comes to things like this. And Sanji's not pulling away.

"Let's go," says Usopp, tugging him gently along.


End file.
